Comparison of different tissue cultures for isolation and quantitation of influenza and parainfluenza viruses

Rhesus and cynomolgus monkey kidney tissue cultures and two continuous lines, Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) and LLC-MK2, were compared in titrations and isolations of influenza and parainfluenza viruses. Tube cultures were inoculated with laboratory virus strains or stored patient specimens and observed for hemadsorption. Trypsin was added to the medium of the continuous lines to increase sensitivity. All four tissue cultures gave similar titers of influenza A/USSR (H1N1), A/Texas (H3N2), and B/HK, but lower titers of parainfluenza 1, 2, and 3 were observed with MDCK. Cynomolgus kidney was the best single tissue culture for reisolation of the six viruses, but foamy-virus contamination of many lots was a serious problem. Reisolation of influenza viruses was as successful with MDCK as with primary monkey kidney. LLC-MK2 was similar to rhesus kidney but less successful than cynomolgus kidney. For reisolation of parainfluenza viruses, LLC-MK2 was superior to rhesus monkey kidney and similar to cynomolgus kidney. MDCK was less useful for parainfluenza viruses. Thus, LLC-MK2 would be an acceptable single tissue alternative to primary monkey kidney. The combination of MDCK and LLC-MK2 would provide optimal sensitivity for isolation of all six viruses.